Poseidon Adventure…

[P2l]

Poseidon Adventure forced upon the family - check (best safety briefing ever!)

Better half convinced it’s worth turning up early to the cruise terminal - check. 
 

Arrived cruise terminal at 10.30, aboard World Europa and in the Top Sail Lounge by 11 (had to down my complementary fizz in a hurry on orders of a daughter). By the time we’d taken a few photos (including of our duplex from above), sorted out MSC app/Internet and half drunk some more complementary drinks, our stateroom was ready. 
 

Obligatory exploration followed. Venom slide slid. Steerage buffet walked, just to fully appreciate the YC grill lunch experience afterwards. No regrets on choosing YC. 
 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

26 minutes ago, P2l said:

Poseidon Adventure

Title caught my attention.  On one of our first 3 day cruises on NCL out of South Florida, the Norwegian Captain made a joke only he laughed at. He addressed the passengers with the assurance that had a rogue wave ever hit our ship like the one that hit the Poseidon in the movie we would not go through the same ordeal. Instead we would sink like a "ton of bricks".

P.S. Looking forward to your observations.

Edited August 16 by morpheusofthesea

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Title caught my attention.  On one of our first 3 day cruises on NCL out of South Florida, the Norwegian Captain made a joke only he laughed at. He addressed the passengers with the assurance that had a rogue wave ever hit our ship like the one that hit the Poseidon in the movie we would not go through the same ordeal. Instead we would sink like a "ton of bricks".

P.S. Looking forward to your observations.

Truth hurts sometimes..

[P2l]

As it’s a question that seems to come up regularly, they were very definitive in the welcome talk that gentlemen were not permitted to wear shorts in the YC restaurant, although it’s OK in La Brasserie.

 

Note there seems no equivalent rule around gentlemen wearing Speedos on the YC pool deck.

 

YC pool (indeed all the pools) moderately busy, but sunbeds aplenty. It’s also shady on the aft facing deck 21. 
 

One minor quibble: The bathrobes don’t make one feel like they’re being hugged by a hundred fluffy bunnies, unlike our previous Cunard Britannia Club experience.

[8420PR]

10 minutes ago, P2l said:

Note there seems no equivalent rule around gentlemen wearing Speedos on the YC pool deck.

Welcome to Continental Europe 🙂   

 

I'm sure there are Italians, German and French posting somewhere about the Brit that got in the pool wearing their dirty shorts.  Of course not that they are dirty, just that is the perception.

 

It's just one of those cultural differences.

[no1talks]

55 minutes ago, P2l said:

"One minor quibble: The bathrobes don’t make one feel like they’re being hugged by a hundred fluffy bunnies, unlike our previous Cunard Britannia Club experience."

 

Thank you for sharing this.

 

We will be in Britannia Club accommodations for our first Cunard cruise in March of 2025.

[P2l]

16 hours ago, no1talks said:

 

Thank you for sharing this.

 

We will be in Britannia Club accommodations for our first Cunard cruise in March of 2025.

The Britannia Club dining experience is a different class even from YC. I trust you won’t be disappointed.

 

Cunard also make it clear that mobile phones are unacceptable in their theatres, something MSC would do well to echo. Our Broadway show last night was somewhat spoiled by Ill-disciplined children and inappropriate use of devices. The most flagrant offenders were also in the YC reserved area. Cultural differences cannot excuse inconsiderate behaviour. 

[P2l]

As it’s another common question: No sign of interlopers interloping in YC.

 

Whilst there is a fair amount of shade in YC area, anywhere outside the shade the deck is scorchio.If you neglect to wear flip flops or equivalent, my feet attest that even a few steps can leave them feeling burnt. 

[DaKahuna]

21 hours ago, P2l said:

As it’s a question that seems to come up regularly, they were very definitive in the welcome talk that gentlemen were not permitted to wear shorts in the YC restaurant,

 

 Was that for all meals or just the evening meal (dinner)?

 

[P2l]

Just evening. I wore shorts for breakfast. Lunches have been at the grill thus far. 

[P2l]

Back to the titular topic, the ship is decidedly wobblier of deck than on preceding days. Not just due to the gin either. Sat in the Panorama Lounge and the candelabra are noticeably swaying. On the plus side, we’re at the aft of the ship, so less distance to go to the engine room, where - assuming ship design hasn’t changed in the intervening years, and that the movie was in fact a documentary - the hull is thinner, facilitating an easier rescue following capsize. 

[scamper]

8 hours ago, P2l said:

Back to the titular topic, the ship is decidedly wobblier of deck than on preceding days. Not just due to the gin either. Sat in the Panorama Lounge and the candelabra are noticeably swaying. On the plus side, we’re at the aft of the ship, so less distance to go to the engine room, where - assuming ship design hasn’t changed in the intervening years, and that the movie was in fact a documentary - the hull is thinner, facilitating an easier rescue following capsize. 

 

Not likely thinner as passenger ships are propelled by azipods rather than the propellers of old.  Your best bet is to go forward and use the bow thruster shaft like in that terrible 2006 remake.  I'm sure at least one of those won't be spinning. I know that completely negates your need to negotiate an upside down catwalk, but life is full of disappointments. Buck up and be glad you didn't fall down an elevator shaft.

Edited August 19 by scamper

[P2l]

Lunch & dinner have been good at YC restaurant, less impressed by breakfast. Room service breakfast also underwhelming. The grill, however, did a fantastic breakfast this morning. 

[P2l]

Just spotted some interlopers being ejected from YC pool deck. Probably trying to steal our cookies. Staff challenged them and asked to see their cards. 

[P2l]

Her Majesty is now in residence. 

[Fissues]

Speakeasy? I see the gin. 

Edited August 20 by Fissues

[morpheusofthesea]

On 8/19/2024 at 12:01 PM, P2l said:

Just spotted some interlopers being ejected from YC pool deck. Probably trying to steal our cookies. Staff challenged them and asked to see their cards. 

Just attracted to the Yacht Club by cookies ? Must be real desperate interlopers. Must have heard that the cookies in YC have all the sugar that appears left out of the cookies found in steerage.

[no1talks]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Just attracted to the Yacht Club by cookies?"

"I came. I saw. I wanted a cookie."
- Gaius Julius Caesar, after Battle of Zela in 47 BC.

[morpheusofthesea]

8 hours ago, no1talks said:

"I came. I saw. I wanted a cookie."
- Gaius Julius Caesar, after Battle of Zela in 47 BC.

"It is not these well-fed long-haired men that I fear (in the Yacht Club), but the pale and the hungry-looking ( in steerage)."

Julius Caesar

[P2l]

12 hours ago, Fissues said:

Speakeasy? I see the gin. 

Yes. But there is now something discretely hidden in the hidden bar. One can see it if one looks closely in the right place. 

Edited August 21 by P2l

[P2l]

[Moparfiend]

We are still on the fence about World America, which should be basically the same for YC as WE. The main concern is that it's too many YC rooms for a much smaller YC area, forcing most YC's out to the general areas.

If you have time, can you comment on the following. I have only done Seascape YC at this point, and the YC area, crew, and YC Director where all amazing (best cruise ever).

YC Dining
Is there enough seats for all of the YC guests, or will some be forced to the buffet overflow where a reservation is needed? Or wait for a long time to get in.

Air conditioning in the TSL, some report that it's not enough to keep it cool

Lounge snacks are not available 'buffet style' and instead are brought on a tiered stand with fewer choices then other YC that have the station

Hot Tub and Pool on YC deck
Some are saying the pool way too small for the number in YC, that it is over crowded, over the limit in hot tub (number of people). Sea days they said it was unusable

Shows
No more reserved seating for Yacht Club guests in theatre, how does that work? 

SPA area
Overcrowded and overbooked, can't handle the number of guests

[P2l]

YC Dining
Is there enough seats for all of the YC guests, or will some be forced to the buffet overflow where a reservation is needed? Or wait for a long time to get in.

We generally eat early. The only time we’ve seen YC restaurant anywhere approaching full was when we hit breakfast at the busy time. We’ve also eaten in La Brasserie 3x, because the kids liked it. Caveat we were always early, but it was nearly empty every time. It’s a la carte table service, not buffet, and YC exclusive in the evening though not in YC enclave.

 

Side observation: White night seems a bigger thing than gala (“elegant”) night, but it seemed more enthusiastically adopted outside YC. 

 

Air conditioning in the TSL, some report that it's not enough to keep it cool

In Malta this afternoon, the sun was directly on the YC glass. I’d say the AC can’t cope with that, I was sweating. 

Lounge snacks are not available 'buffet style' and instead are brought on a tiered stand with fewer choices then other YC that have the station
Probably true. But staff attentive and soooo much food. High tea today in TSL was not well advertised, and thus sparse attendence. Struggled to eat dinner afterwards. 

Hot Tub and Pool on YC deck
Some are saying the pool way too small for the number in YC, that it is over crowded, over the limit in hot tub (number of people). Sea days they said it was unusable
Sometimes it can be busy, other times empty. We have a hot tub on our balcony that hardly ever gets crowded! Deck area seems sufficient and Lanai deck at rear of YC is hardly used. Except by us.

 

Another aside, I’m writing this from the inside pool area - it’s really quiet late evening/night and open until 11pm. 

Shows
No more reserved seating for Yacht Club guests in theatre, how does that work? 
In theatre there is reserved seating.  In the Panorama Lounge it’s not reserved, but YC can come and go as they please. Basically they never allocate to capacity. It is worth getting their early for busy shows. 

SPA area
Overcrowded and overbooked, can't handle the number of guests

Only been once, and it was busy. Probably picked a bad time, after everyone was back from ShoreEx. Not much in the way of seating/lying/hanging space, but facilities themselves were varied and not too overcrowded. If I went again I’d try to predict a quieter time. 
 

We don’t have another YC experience to compare it against, but we would happily do WE or WA again. Albeit I spoiled the family with the Duplex Whirlpool suite, so they might not accept less in future. Compared to our only other experience, Britannia Club on Cunard Queen Mary 2, the food and dining service was much much better in the latter. But for a family the WE has so much more, an, for adults as well, the ship has lots of places to go and things to do. It doesn’t feel too crowded as long as you avoid the obvious (eg steerage buffet). 
 

 

[no1talks]

1 hour ago, Moparfiend said:

"We are still on the fence about World America, which should be basically the same for YC as WE. The main concern is that it's too many YC rooms for a much smaller YC area, forcing most YC's out to the general areas."

 

We were going to give World America a try once the furor died down. However, now that I know the duplex cabins' balconies are exposed to view from the YC's outdoor area, there is nothing of interest to outweigh the passenger density issue. 

 

Perhaps, if MSC devises a means of screening the duplex balconies from above, we will reconsider.

Edited August 21 by no1talks

[P2l]

A couple of well positioned complementary towels placed on the upper balcony rail helps to screen the hot tub a little, and screen the upper balcony from a ship docked in front. The rear of the upper balcony is completely screened, but the access is of course unscreened. At night, whether or not the neighbours have their deck lights on makes a big difference. 

 

Overall though I’d agree, for a premium suite it’s is too public. Even the Owners Suite doesn’t seem much better.